David Cameron and Ed Miliband were warned yesterday to make big changes in light of Tony Abbott’s election landslide in Australia.

Rupert Murdoch, who backed controversial Right-wing leader Mr Abbott, was quick to suggest the victory had been a result of voters being sick of public sector workers and “phony welfare scroungers sucking life out of the economy”.

Media tycoon Mr Murdoch’s rant, which sparked outrage, insisted that other nations would soon be feeling the same way as they did Down Under.

Mr Cameron’s backbenchers have suggested that Australia’s lurch to the Right is proof the Tories must return to traditional Conservative values to win the general election in 2015.

Tory MP Douglas Carswell praised Mr Abbott for having seen through the “fad” of global warming and for promising voters he would slash immigration and foreign aid.

Mr Carswell ridiculed those trying to convince his party that the way to win elections is to “drift towards the soggy centre”.

British-born Mr Abbott’s win for his Liberal-National coalition was greeted with dismay by many. Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, said: “Oz has elected a bigoted air-head to drag them backwards into mean prejudice and vainglorious chauvinism.”

Union chiefs said Labour leader Mr Miliband must take note of how disunity in the Australian Labor Party led to its election defeat on Saturday after six years in power.

Speaking ahead of the TUC congress, Unison boss Dave Prentis warned that Mr Miliband faced a similar thrashing if his party does not stop squabbling with the unions.

Mr Prentis said: “If you are divided you lose support in the country.”

MPs and unions rounded on Mr Murdoch for his vile tweet. Labour MP Tom Watson said the outburst was an “insult to every nurse, police officer and refuse collector” in Britain. Public and Commercial Services union chief Mark Serwotka said: “The life of billionaire Rupert Murdoch couldn’t be further removed from those of the ordinary people he despises.”